History of Moscow

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Moscow Borough was established in 1908 by citizens interested in creating improved services to their thriving community. W. B. Miller became the town's first Burgess.

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The area we call Moscow was given that name at some point in the 1850s. Exactly how the name came to the area is not clear. Originally called Drinker's Beech and named for Henry Drinker, a Quaker from Philadelphia, who gained possession of nearly three square miles of land and began harvesting the local beech trees. A roadway carved through the wilderness cut through what we know today as Main Street or Route 435 was named Drinker Turnpike.

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Some people believe that the Reverend Peter Rupert, a Lutheran minister, renamed the area after his former home in Moscow, Russia. There is no firm evidence that he, nor settlers from Russia, named the area. The Reverend Rupert did build a log cabin tavern to service stage coach travelers making the arduous journey between Philadelphia and the interior of New York State.

It is possible that the area could have easily been renamed Moscow at the whim of the first postmaster Leander Griffen who opened the settlement's first general store in 1854.

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The construction of a rail line from Scranton to the transportation hub of Hoboken, New Jersey increased the importance of the area not only for commerce but also as a destination for vacationers, who used the rail lines to visit the numerous local hotels built in this beautiful country setting. By the early 1900's there was even a daily commuter train called "the accommodation train" bringing workers from Moscow to Scranton. Today, the Victorian-era Moscow railroad station is a reminder of the profound influence rail transportation has had on this area.

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This area continues to grow in a family-friendly environment with its shops, restaurants, recreation and, of course, the train station and Steamtown excursions.